Block-molding machine.



. UNIT-ED sTATEs PATENT cEEicE.

ERNEST W. SMITH, OF-HIAVVATHA, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HARVEY E. SHUMWAY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BLOCK-MOLDING MACHINE.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST W. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hiawatha, in the county of Brown and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and use- 'ful Improvements in Block Molding Machines, of which the following is a specification. f

This invention relates to the art of manufacturing artificial stone, and has special reference to that type of machines designed' for the formation of building blocks or tiles made of cement, concrete, or equivalent plastic composition.

To this end the invention contemplates an improved cement block molding machine embodying im roved means for handling the material and inished product to provide for making various sizes and styles of buildingblocks.

In this connectionthe invention has in view a novel construction of mold-,box or` mold-box or mold proper wherein not only a Wide range of adjustment is provided for varying the width or length of the block, but also permitting an arrangement of parts which provides for varying the depth of the product to be molded.

The invention also has in view a novel manner of handling the mold-box or mold proper to facilitate the starting of the molded article to prepare the design or pattern-face thereof before working up and developing the Vmain body portion of the article with a different grade of material, should such a method be desirable and preferable.

Another obj ect of the invention is to provide an improved adjustable mold-box wherein any size or style of core maybe employed and different sizes and shapes of design and bottom lates utilized, according to the character o the block or tile being manufactured. j l

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel manner of manipulating the Gore or cores to provide for their projection Patented Aug. 1, 1905.

" from after the cement body has been shaped therein. With these and other obj ects in view, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the ovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

The essential features of the invention involved in carrying out the objects above indicated are necessarily susceptible to structural modification without departing from the scope of the invention; but a preferred embodiment of the latter is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a perspective view of the cement-block-molding machine constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the mold-box opened up to expose all of the parts thereof. Fig. 2 is a similar view Iof the machine from the rear thereof. Fig. 3 is a to plan view of the machine, showing the mol -boX closed. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the machine on the line 4. 4 of Fig. 3 with the tilting molding-table lowered and showing the core-carrying bed elevated. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view on line 5 5 of Fig. 3 with the core carrier or carrying-bed lowered. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view showing a modification in the construction of an adjustable mold-box. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing more plainly the preferred adjustable hinge connection for the rear ends of the adjustable-and swinging end walls of the mold-box.

Like reference-numerals desi nate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

mold-box or mold proper is associated with a main supporting-stand 1, essentially consisting of a skeleton framework of suflicient strength to provide for properly supporting the working parts of the machine and deinto the mold-box and their withdrawal there- In carrying out thepresent invention the I ably composed of the opposite parallel side bars 3, suitably connected and braced together to provide a sufficiently strong frame to support the adjustable members of the mold-box. At what may be termed the front ends of the side bars 3 of the frame 2 the said side bars have a hinge connection 4 with the upper front side of the supportingstand 1. This hinge connection 4 may be any suitable pivotal connection between the front edge of the frame 2 and the front edge of the stand 1 but an advantageous hingemounting is shown in the drawings and consists in providing the frame side bars 3 contiguous to their front ends with pendent hinge-lugs 5, having therein a series of adjustment-holes 6 receiving the hinge pin or bolt 4. This construction provides means for varying the plane of the hinge-support for the tilting molding-table should that be found necessary or desirable. t

The mold-box or mold proper which is supported on and carried by the tilting moldingtable 2 essentially-consists of the -front and rear side walls 8 and 9, respectively, and the opposite adjustable folding end walls 10, which when in assembled relation with .reference to the oppositely-disposed front and rear side walls 8 and 9 provide a complete mold-box within which the cement or composition material is tamped to form the building block or stone. In addition to the related side and end walls 8, 9, and 1() the mold-box may be properly said to include as a part thereof a removable bottom plate 11, which is designed to be arranged wholly Within the plane of the side and end walls when in their closed relation and to detachably rest upon the adjustable base-bars 12 and 13, which constitute the adjustable basesupport for the front and rear side walls 8 and 9, respectively. Hence the removable bottom plate 11, constitutes the removable bottom of the mold upon which the molded block or article is removed after the mold is opened up, and by reason of this mounting of the bottom plate 11 it will be readily understood that various sizes of bottom plates may be utilized, according to the size of the block to be molded. The different bottom plates which are designed to be thus interchanged are provided therein with any number and arrangement of core-receiving openings 14, through which are designed to be projected and withdrawn the verticallymovable core-blocks 15, which will be presently referred to in connection with the means for handling the same.

Referring more particularly to the detailed construction of the mold-box and the adjustable parts thereof, it is to be observed that the adjustable base-bar or base-support 12 for the front side wall 8 is arranged across the tilting molding-table 2 as one of the bracing members thereof, and the opposite ends of the said base bar or support 12 receive therein the adjustment-bolts 16, designed to adjustably work in the slots 17, formed in the front end portions of the frame side bars 3, thus providing means for adjusting the front side wall S in a direction toward and from the rear side wall 9, which has a corresponding adjustment. This corresponding adjustment for the rear side wall is accomplished by mounting the said rear s ide wall directly upon the adjustable base bar or support 13 and preferably equipping the latter with suitable fastening-brackets 18, accommodating the adjustable securing-bolts 19, which are adapted to be secured in adjustment holes or slots 20, formed longitudinally in the frame side bars 3 of the tilting molding-table. This corresponding adjustment for both the front and rear side walls 8 and 9 provides means for effecting a wide range of adjustment in the direction of the width of the block to be molded, thus adapting the machine for various widths of building-block or tiles.

In connection with the mounting of the front side wall S it is preferable that this wall be hinged at its lower edge, as at 21, to the front edge of the base-support 12 therefor, so that the said front side wall may be folded outward and downward to provide for opening up the mold-box for facilitating the removal of the molded article upon the bottom plate 1,1. Also the folding front side wall is usually utilized as the design-plate for the mold. To this end the same is provided upon its inner face with a design or pattern surface 22, of any desired design or pattern, although it may be noted at this point that in making corner-blocks within the mold the end plates are provided with a desired pattern or design. However, irrespective of utilizing either the front side walls or the end walls as the design-plates, the adjustment and use of these members in the mold-box always remain the same.

Vhile the lateral adjustment of the front and rear side walls 8 and 9 provides for a width adjustment of the mold-box, a depth adjustment may be provided for by placing suitable spacing-blocks beneath the removable bottom plate 11, and the length adj ustment for varying the length of the mold-box or mold proper is accomplished through the mounting of the opposite folding end walls 10. Each of the folding end walls 1() is provided at what may be termed the rear end thereof with the upper and lower hinge-lugs 23 and 24, respectively, which are arranged in vertical alinement and are designed to re- Ceive a detachable hinge-bolt 25, mounted in any of a series of vertically-disposed bolt-receiving openings 26, formed in cleats 26l at one side of the rear side wall 9 of the mold-box. A number of the vertically-disposed bolt-receiving openings 26 are pivoted on or in the effectt wall 9,l so that by the individual adjustment of the hinge-bolt 25 for each of the end walls 10 a wide range of adjustment is provided for such walls in a direction toward and from each other, thus effecting any desired adjustment in the length of the mold, according to the length of the article to be molded. lt is preferable to provide countersinks or notches 27 and 28, respectively, at the top and bot'- tom edge. of wall 9, contiguous to the boltreceiving openings 26. The countersinks or recesses 27 and 28 for those openings 26 which arenot in use are designedto be preferably filled by suitable filling-blocks, although the lower eountersinks or recesses 28 when not occupied are covered by the back edge of the removable bottomplate 11.

When the end walls 10 are swung inward to their closed position and the folding front wall 8'is swung to its upright position, the

several walls of the mold are held together in this closed relation through the medium of suitable fastenings, preferably consisting of hinged fastening-hooks 29, having wedgeshaped points 30, adapted to engage in eyes 31, provided at the outer ends withholdingpins 32, fitted to and projecting from the ends of the folding front wall 8, said holdingpins 32 adapted to extend through any of a series of keeper-holes 33, formed in a longitudinal series in the op osite folding walls 10. A series of keeper-ho es 33 is provided in order to compensate for the adjustment ofthe front wall 8 towardv and from the rear wall 9.

The said keeper-walls 33 also constitute adjustment-holes to adjustably receive the hinge-bolts 34 for securing the fastening' hooks 29 in position. In connection with this fastening it is also preferable to plug or fill those keeper-holes 33 which are not in use when the mold-box is adjusted for a particular size.

The tilting molding-table 2, which is swung on the hinges 4, is designed to be supported in its raised or tilted position through the medium of a pair of pivotal holding-braces 35. l

These holding-braces 35 are pivoted at their upper ends, as at.`36, to the sidebars 3 of the molding-table and are provided with longitudinally-disposed guiding-slots 37, at one edge of which slots the braces 35 are formed with a series of ratchet-teeth 38, adapted to engage with and ride over a fixed supporting element 39, which may be in the form of a rod extending entirely across the top of the stand 1 or may consist of separate fixed pins for each of the braces 35. When the tilting molding-table is raised from its,A horizontal to its elevated inclined position, the ratchets 38 of the braces 35 freely ride over the fixed elements 39 and automatically engage with said elements to hold the table tilted until the operator is ready to lower the table to provide for com leting the molding of the block. To

ge release of the braces 35 to permit the lowering of the'molding-table 2, there is employed a releasing device, preferably consisting of a rock-shaft 40, journaled in bearings at the top of the supporting-'stand 1 and carrying oppositelylocated rocker release dogs 41, rigldlysupported on the shaft 40 and weighted at one end, as at 42, to normally fall out of engagement with the brace 35.

The shaft' 40 is provided at one or both ends with an operating-crank 43, which when moved in one direction provides for carrying one end ofthe release-dogs 41 against the supin the form of a rising-and-falling bed prol vided therein with a plurality of longitudinally-arranged adjustment-slots 45, adapted to adjustably receive therein the fasteningbolts 46, mounted in the holding-bars 47, arranged transversely within and across the body of the core-block. The holding-bars 47 of each core-block are provided with longitudinally-dispo'sed slots 48, which in con'- junction with the slots 45 of the carrying-bed 44, provide for a wide range and nicety of adjustment for each core-block to adapt the same perfectly to any conditions required in the adjustment and manipulation of the machine.

The raising and lowering of the verticallymovable -core `carrier or bed 44 is accomplished through the medium of a suitable raising and lowering device preferably conv sisting of an operating-shaft49, j ournaled in suitable bearings provided at the ends of the main supporting-stand 1 of the machine and provided at one or both ends with an operating-crank 50, whichis grasped by the opera-:

tor to provide for raising and lowering the core-carrier. In addition to the operatingshaft 49 the raising and lowering device for the rising-and-falling core carrier or bed includes a `pair of oppositely-located gearwheels 51 and a pair of oppositely-arranged pendent rack-bars 52, rigidly secured to the under side of the carrier or bed 44 and normally meshing with the teeth of the gearwheels 51, so that by the turning of the shaft 49 provision is made for'positively and conveniently raising and lowering the core-carrier, with the cores 15 thereon, to provide for thrusting such cores through the openings in the mold-bottom and valso for. withdrawing thecores after the article has been shaped and allowed to become sufficiently set to permit withdrawal of the cores.

When the core carrier or bed 44 is rai'sed to its elevated position, it is necessary to provide means for securing it in such position. To this end a holding device is employed, said holding device consisting of a rock-shaft 53, journaled in suitable bearings on the machine-stand and provided at one or both ends with a controlling crank or vhandle 54 and carrying rocker catch-dogs 55, the free ends of which dogs are adapted to be moved into interfering relation to stop members 56, mounted' directly on one side of the gearwheels 51. These stop members 56 are provided with curved slotted-arm portions 57, receiving binding-screws 58, which provide for fastening said arms in their adjusted positions. This construction permits of a circular adjustment for the stopmembers 56 to provide means whereby it may be determined accurately in what position the corecarrier bed will be located. The catch-dogs 55 do not interfere with the raising of the core carrier or bed 44, inasmuch as during this operation the stop members 56 trip beneath and past the free ends of the dogs, and a tendency of the gears to rotate in a reverse direction is arrested by a direct engagement of the stop members 56 with the ends of the dogs 55, as may be plainly seen from Fig. 5 of the drawings.

Various modifications of the structure described may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention. One of these modifications is suggested in Fig. 6 of the drawings, which illustrates a modified construction of the mold or mold-box to adapt the mold for shaping elongated articles-such7 for instance, as cement window-sills, curbblocks, and the like. In this modification all of the essential features of the invention are preserved, including the tiltable moldingtable 2, the back wall 9, and the end walls 10 but in order to provide for the eXtra length of the back wall, the same has fitted thereto a detachable lapped joint, as at 9a. A front board 8a may be utilized in this modification for facing up the front side of the object, and eXtra supporting means may be employed for bracing the extended portions of the molding-table beyond the main supportingstand. These details, however, are obvious mechanical expedients that may or may not be-resorted to without affecting the essential features of the suggested modification.

It is thought that the method of manipulating the herein-described machine will be readily understood from the foregoing description; but it may be briefly noted. at this point that to provide for molding a buildingblock or other article the molding-table is swung to its raised tilted position and the various parts, of` thev mold-box thrown open into the positions shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. rlhe folding front side wall is then brought up into position and the two end walls closed against the ends of said front walland secured thereto through the medium of the fastening devices already described. The detachable bottom plate of the mold is then placed in position within the box formed by the front and rear side walls and the opposite end walls, after which a layer of pure cement is preferably spread over the surface 22 of the wall carrying such surface. Then the tilting molding-table is lowered to its horizontal position and the raising and lowering device operated to provide for bringing the cores up through the openings in the bottom-plate. With the parts thus positioned the mixture of sand and cement is then placed within the mold-box, and after being thoroughly tamped the surplus on the top is taken off by a long trowclwith straight edge. When this operation has been completed, the cores are withdrawn from the mold, and when the plastic body has set sufficiently the fastenings for the end walls are released to permit such walls to swing outward and the front wall or design-plate to swing outward. The complete block or stone is then removed by lifting the bottom-plate out of the mold-box and carrying the same away to any convenient point where the block or stone is to remain until thoroughly dry. Another bottom-plate is positioned on the molding-table and the operation described repeated.

Various modifications other than the one described may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a block-molding machine, the moldbox comprising an adjustable relatively fixed wall, a foldin r side wall arranged opposite the relatively iXed wall, and laterally-swinging end walls having an adjustable conncction with therelatively fixed wall, and a separable connection with the folding side wall.

2. In a block-molding machine, the moldboX comprising a shiftable rear wall, a shiftable folding front wall, shiftable end walls having adjustable hinge connections with the rear wall, and adjustable fastening connections with the folding front wall.

3. In a block-molding machine, the moldboX comprising a rear wall, a folding front wall, laterally-swinging end walls hinged to the rear wall, and shiftable fastenings for thc front wall carried by said end walls.

4. In a block-molding machine, the moldboX comprising opposite side walls adjustable toward and from each other, laterallyswinging end walls having hinge connections with one of the side walls and adjustable toward and from each other, and shiftable fastenings adj ustably mounted on the end walls any of its adjusted positions.

and coperating With one of the side Walls 5. In a block-molding machine, the moldbox comprising oppositelyarranged side Walls adj ustable towardv and from each other, one of said side Walls having a hinge mounting and provided at its ends With holdingpins, laterally-swinging end Walls having a -bolts mounted on the rear Wall and fitted to the hinge members of said end Walls, the

.j hinge-bolts for the opposite end Walls being adjustably mounted upon the rear Wall to permit shifting thereof toWard and from each other, and fastenings mounted upon the end Walls and arranged to secure the front Wall in its upright position.

7. In a block-molding machine, a table, the molding-box mounted upon'the table and comprising a relatively fixed Wall shiftably mounted upon the table, a verticallysWinginghinge-Wall also shiftably mounted upon the table, and provided With a patternsurface, and laterally-swinging end Walls havin adjustable hinge connections With 'the re atively fixed Wall, and separable fastening connections With said verticallyswinging Wall.

8. In a block-molding machine, a table and a mold-box mounted upon the table and comprising front and rear adjustable basebars shiftably mounted upon the table, a relatively fixed rear Wall rigidly mounted upon the rear base-ban'a vertically-swinging front Wall hinged to the front adjustable base-bar, laterally-swinging end Walls having adjustable hinge connections at one end with the rear Wall, separable fastening connections to the vertically-swinging Wall, and

a removable bottom mounted Aon the basebars inside of the plane of the mold-Walls.

9. In a block-molding machine, a fixed stand, a rising-and-falling core-carrier mounted on the fixed stand, a tiltable molding-table mounted on the xed stand, and a moldbox carried by the table.

- 10. In'a block-molding machine, a fixed stand, a tiltable molding-table mounted on the fixed stand, means for adjusting and supporting the tiltable table, and a mold-box l carried by said table.

11. In a block-molding machine, a fixed stand, an adjustable frame constituting a molding-table and arranged for tilting movement on the fixed stand, `and a mold-box carried by said table.

12. In a block-molding machine, a fixed stand, an angularly-adjustable molding-table having a hinge-support at one edge upon the fixed stand, and a mold-box carried by said table.

13. In a. block-molding machine, a xed stand, an angularly-adjustable molding-ta- -ble having a hinge-supportat one edge upon the fixed stand, and a mold-box carried entirely by the molding-table and having a vertically-swinging drop side Wall located at the hinged edge of the molding-table and provided With a pattern-surface.

14. In a block-molding machine, a stand, a vrtically-swinging tilting molding-table having a hinge mounting at one edge upon the stand, a mold-box carried by the table,

and al holding device connected With the tar ble and comprising means for holding it at various inclinations. A

. 15. In a block-molding machine, a stand, a vertically-swinging molding-table hinged at one edge upon the stand, a fixed supporting element or elements carried by the stand, holding-braces having pivotal connection at one end With the molding-table and provided With slotted ratchet portions engaging Withl the fixed supporting element or elements of the stand, and a releasing device mounted upon the stand, and comprising suitably-operated rock-shaft and rocker-release dogs carried by said shaft and adapted to be moved against said braces to disengage the ratchet-teeth thereof and permit the lowering of the molding-table.

16. In a block-molding machine, a stand, a vertically-swinging molding-table hinged to the stand and carrying the mold-box, pivotal holding-braces connectedWith the molding-table and having a ratchet-catch engagement With thestand, 'and a releasing device mounted on the stand and adapted to disengage the holding-braces.

17. In a block molding machine, the stand, the mold-box having a bottom provided With core-receiv'ing openings, a risingand-falling core-carrier bed sustaining the core-carrying blocks thereon, said bed-having pendent rack-bars,'an operating-shaft carrying gear-Wheels meshing With said rackbars, crcularly-adjustable stop members mounted upon said gear-Wheels, and a holding device comprising a suitably-adjusted rock-shaft, and catch-dogs carried by said shaft and adapted to be moved into and out of the path of said stop members on the gear- Wheels. .t

18. In a block -molding machine, the stand, the mold-box having a bottom provided With core-receiving openings, a risingand-falling core-carryin bed, and a core block or blocks having a etachable connection With said bed and adjustable both longitudinally and transversely thereof Without removing the connections between the eoreblock and the bed.

19. In a block-molding machine, the eombination With the mold-box of a rising-andfalling eore-earrying bed provided with e series of longitudinally-arranged adjustmentslots, a core block or blocks provided With longitudinally-slotted holding-bars disposed transversely of the longitudinal slots of the bed, and fastening-bolts engaging said liolding-bars and also the slotted portions of' the bed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 1n presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST W. SMITH.

Witnesses G. W. DUERSER, W. BAYLOR. 

